In a Heartbeat
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: It was literally the speed of a heartbeat, but after the smoke had cleared, Ed was gone, taken by a man seeking his blood and leaving team one to fear the worst. Based on a scene eppy 1.13 'Between Heartbeats'


**Title: In a Heartbeat**

**Summary:** It was literally the speed of a heartbeat, but after the smoke had cleared, Ed was gone, taken by a man seeking his blood and leaving team one to fear the worst. Based on a scene eppy 1.13 'Between Heartbeats'

**Disclaimer: **Ah you know write? Ed's with me and well yeah that's about it…lol

**A/N:** okay so I rewrote the scene with Spike in 'Good Cop' getting into a bit more trouble so am gonna do the same with my Eddie…b/c well you all know much I love danger/peril and angst! Hehe hope you all like this little angsty plot bunny and thanks in advance!

_"Words in italics and double quotes – directly from the eppy." Any other double quotes & italics after the four EEEE (E's for eppy) much like my other stories are people talking via either phone or headset._

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><p><em>"He's got Ed…he's got a gun to his head," Spike's anxious voice is heard mere seconds after he stepped through the rooftop doorway and saw Ed in Petar Tomasic's grasp; the whole team pausing for a few seconds to ponder Spike's grim statement. <em>

_The look on Wordy's face in the elevator said it all, a mixture of panic, tension and utter frustration in not being there at his best friends side to help diffuse a now life and death situation. Move faster! Ed's the one he wants…the one he came for. He shot Jules…Ed's next. MOVE FASTER! His mind yells at the slow moving box. Move damn it!_

_"We're on our way Spike."_

_"I don't have a clear shot…Ed's in my line of fire."_

_"You killed my father…he's all I had!"_

_"Let's just slow it down here buddy okay? I need you to…" Ed's somewhat strained tone tries in desperation. _

_"For the first time tomorrow morning…for the first five minutes your son will forget…that you're gone."_

_"Sam, we need a solution," Greg directs._

_"I can't get a clear shot, he's behind the pillar," Sam replies in truth. "Ed, you gotta move forward."_

_EEEE_

The team had heard the request from Sam and figured Ed, above anyone would know the importance of moving into the sniper's line of sight. But just as his entire body flexes to take that critical step, Ed feels Petar's left hand move to his neck and start to expertly apply pressure on a part of Ed's windpipe, forcing him to feel the constriction and freeze in place.

"Ed's still not moving," Spike whispers as he keeps Ed's unmoving frame in his line of sight. Ed's ears pick up Sam's soft curse as he tries once again to take a step forward.

"I heard the command…you move again and I pull this trigger," Petar hisses in Ed's other ear. Ed feels his fists tighten at his sides as he complies; Petar's fingers pressing a bit further into his neck and his lips finally start to gasp for air.

"Something's wrong," Spike mentions softly. "I think he heard…something on Ed's headset."

_"Switch Spike," Greg's voice is firmly heard, forcing Spike to switch to the second channel so that Ed's headset was automatically cut off but the rest of the team could talk. _

_"Talk to me Spike, what's up?"_

_"He's got…" _is all Spike manages before he stops and watches Petar moving backward with Ed still captive in his grasp. "Don't move!" Spike demands knowing now that Sam's shot would be gone altogether.

_"Spike?"_ Wordy's voice pipes up in anxious concern.

"He's moving backward."

_"No…we need him to move forward," Sam grumbles as he waits for the shot._

Being cut off from the team and not knowing which way to move, forces Ed's panicked frustration to grow. He feels himself getting a bit light headed as the gun and Petar's fingers tighten around his neck and force him to step backward with his captor; the initial resistance gone. Petar's fingers momentarily switch positions and before Ed can react he feels a pin prick pierce his skin and a few seconds later his body starts to falter in Petar's grasp.

"Guys something's wrong with Ed," Spike's voice whispers in a panic.

_"What? Spike what's going on?" Wordy demands._

"Wha…" Ed starts as his core temperature starts to enflame, his heart now starting to race and small dark circles forming before his eyes.

"Fast acting drug," Petar whispers, sending small tense shivers down Ed's frame. "This…is also fast acting."

"Ed!" Spike shouts, his usually warm chocolate brown eyes darkening as the world around him slows to a silent pace, his mind picking up an object flying through the air and his arms instinctively coming up to shield his eyes seconds before the flash bang goes off and Spike's attention is momentarily diverted. When his eyes refocus everything in the room is the same except for one very important thing – Ed is missing.

"Ed's gone!"

_"What?" Wordy's voice practically shouts. "Where the hell is he? Spike!"_

XXXXXXXX

Ed's heart beats start to sound louder in his ears as his eyes start to slightly blur; his strength still on the decline. "What did…you give…me," he gasps as his body sags in Petar's grasp; allowing his vengeful captor to grab him under the arms and drag him through the nearby door and then allow Ed to sag to the floor in a semi-conscious heap as Petar jams something through the door to keep the SRU at bay before he turns and looks down at Ed's nearly paralyzed frame.

"Petar…don't…do this," Ed begs, his heart racing so fast he was afraid that cardiac arrest was imminent; the pounding in his ears now starting to drown out his captor's mocking laughter. Ed's futile resistance adds to his fear as his captor again picks him under his arms and starts to slowly drag him down the metal walkway, pausing to discard certain items, such as his guns and cell phone.

_Move your arms! Fight back…do something! _Ed's brain commands, his body unable to comply with the seemingly reasonable request. But the drug that Petar had given Ed had rendered him nearly helpless while keeping him still awake; alert to what Petar was now hoping to label as the last moments of his life.

"Your team…called the best in the city," Petar's angry voice bites into Ed's thoughts, forcing his mind to focus on his captor's tone, his limbs merely useless at his sides. "Let's see what happens…when they realize…what they've done."

"Petar…" Ed tries again, his words thick and his throat now having difficulty swallowing. "What did…you give me?" He manages with a few gasps for air.

"Import drug," Petar smiles as they reach a rather darkened part of the roof top maze and stop, Petar letting Ed's frame slump to the ground once more; his arms resting idle on the floor. "Just wait a moment here."

Ed's eyes blink a few times as he tries again to swallow, his tongue feeling thick in his mouth and his heart racing so fast he feels as though he'll collapse into total darkness at any moment and his vengeful enemy will have won. _Wordy…come on buddy you gotta find me and fast._

He hears Petar's heavy footsteps returning and then watches his feet near, glancing up to see Petar looming over him with something in his hands. _Kick him! Fight back…do something! _His brain once again tries to order, his body wanting to comply but the signals not completing and rendering Ed literally helpless before his vengeful captor.

"Let's see how great your team really is," Petar sneers as he rips off a strip of duct tape and leans in. "No warning them now."

Petar kneels down and presses the tape over Ed's lips and then stands back up with his gun aimed and ready; smiling down at his captured prey, a spoil of war. Ed's eyes momentarily close as the shot is fired, the sound nearly shattering his hearing as it sails past his cheek, through the metal walkway and into the darkness below.

"Ed!" Wordy shouts as he literally hurls himself at the door, turning back to Greg with panic flashing in his eyes. _No…Ed no this can't be…not like this._

"He'll be okay," Greg states in uncertainty, Wordy's panicked look matching his own. _This guy just shot Jules…now he has Ed…the man he came for…damn it let that just be a warning shot!_

"Do you know for certain?" Wordy argues back. "Boss he just shot Jules and now…"

"Clear heads Wordy…let's focus and find Ed."

"Right! We gotta get through this door!" Wordy grunts as he gestures for the team to step back before he prepares to shoot the handle; Sam already starting his rapid descent down from the opposite building where a few minutes ago he had been set to end the sniper standoff with an expert kill shot. But all of them had once again underestimated their opponent; a skilled hunter who had just put one of their own in the hospital with a near fatal injury and had just taken captive another – the man he blames and holds responsible for his father's death.

"Okay stand back," Wordy tells Lew and Spike, Greg behind them nervously pacing as his brain ponders his friend and team leads current predicament. This man had demonstrated no regard for human life and had at first taunted and then drawn out by deadly force the man he wants to take the life of.

"Hurry Wordy," Greg utters just before a few shots ring out, bouncing off the heavy metal door but thankfully not spraying backward to any of team one.

"Whoa!" Lew calls out as the four of them quickly duck for cover and then look back at the door that had sustained only minimal damage.

"That's a hell of a door. Gonna need something stronger," Wordy offers in truth. "I have an idea."

"But in the meantime we might need another way around and team, Ed's life is still on the line…so double time," Greg directs Spike and Lew who waste no time in heading back for the original opening and then for the elevator; Wordy preparing to try one more thing before accepting that he'd have to lose precious minutes in getting to his best friend by finding another way in.

_"I'm on the ground and heading up the back," Sam tells the team._

"Okay boss take cover," Wordy instructs as he prepares to tackle the door once more. _Ed…buddy hold on…I'm coming…I just pray you're still alive._

XXXXXXXX

"So not so tough now I think," Petar taunts Ed's captive frame, standing back to inspect his handiwork. He offers a small punch to Ed's vulnerable side; Ed's arms unable to pull down from their current position and offer protection. Petar had gotten Ed upright and zip tied his wrists overhead around a pipe, pulling his arms taut into the air and forcing the weight from his frame to pull down on his captive hands, his body still unable to effectively fight back.

_Don't do this…_Ed mumbles uselessly into the piece of heavy tape over his mouth, Petar merely patting his cheek and then standing back and pulling his gun; pointing it at Ed's forehead and cocking the trigger. Ed feels his heart instantly seize and his fists try to tighten, his brain yelling at his arms to pull up and at least send out his bound feet to try to take his captor off balance; something – anything to stall for time and for the sake of his very existence. But it was to no avail, he was trapped, his life in the hands of a man that had just shot his friend and team member.

_Petar…please…_Ed tries again, eliciting only a small smirk from his un-amused, unsympathetic captor just as he lowers his gun.

"Do you know how easy it will be for me to sleep tonight?" Petar asks in a low tone as he leans in closer. "That image…watching my father die…is burned into my MEMORY!" He shouts, his warm breath inches from Ed's face. "But with you dead…it might ease some of the pain. Your death will really be your fault."

_Head butt him! _His brain yells, Ed's entire frame trying to comply, his head slowly moving forward but missing its mark as Petar steps back and the opportunity is lost.

"The drugs will wear off in a bit…but you'll be dead by then. See I have timed it…your team will either come through that door to the left," he nods in Wordy's direction. "Or to the center," he gestures to the other door that Spike and Lew would have to also find a way to blast through. "I have the jump escape," Petar holds up a small black parachute kit and dangles it over a ledge behind Ed; a drop to the ground below and his supposed freedom; not knowing it was the path that Sam was now working on coming up.

Ed tries to twist his face in the direction Wordy would be coming through but with his arms firmly keeping his head locked between them, he can only imagine the route that his best friend was now about to embark on, praying that somehow Sam or the others would cause a distraction and the unthinkable wouldn't happen. Ed shifts his eyes back and then looks around to see Petar missing.

_What the hell? Where'd he go? _His mind ponders as he tries in vain to pull his wrists free of the tight plastic binding.

"I haven't gone far and you can't escape," Petar mocks from the shadows as he lies in wait and prepares to fire at whoever comes through the door first. "See with the darkness here, they can't hear or see you until the last minute. I will hold them back so they can't see you completely. As soon as I fire a shot, they fire at you...I fire at you and jump over the railing. I walk out of here with my uniform on and they rush in too late to help."

_What? Wordy…buddy…I pray you wait before firing…please just wait…_

"I hope you're scared," Petar continues. "My father was scared…he was scared and no one listened to him. He was begging for help…for his life…you didn't listen; no one listened. You just...killed him. Now it's your turn," Petar pauses as he leaves the darkness and walks up to Ed. "You can beg all you want…no one's gonna hear you until it's too late. No one is going to listen."

Finally getting the timing right, Ed's body jerks in response to Petar's nearness, trying to kick out but biting back a painful gasp as the plastic binding further digs into his wrists; his full weight pulling down on the soft flesh and meeting the hard metal pipe overhead. He eases back on his plan and stands upright as best he can without full support of his legs.

"Just so you don't get any further ideas," Petar smiles as he takes another zip tie, loops it through the one keeping Ed's ankles together and then loops it through the metal walkway, ensuring Ed's bound legs now stayed in place. "Now when they tell me to move and you don't…they'll shoot right through you. No vest to protect you Ed Lane," he smiles as he pats his chest.

_This can't be…_his mind swirls in panic, _he can't win like this…Wordy! _

XXXXXXXX

The door finally blows and Wordy is quick to pull back the dented metal and proceed with his MP5 raised, Greg following behind.

"Sam where are you?"

_"I hear someone talking overhead and am already past the first level on the railings…just keep him distracted for a few more minutes if you can."_

"Copy that," Greg relates in a low tone as he and Wordy continue toward the direction Ed was being held captive.

Ed hears the footsteps nearing and feels his agitation boiling; his strength still not where it should be.

"Here they come Ed Lane," Petar taunts in a low tone from the shadows. "Ready to die?"

_Wordy! _Ed's mind shouts, a few sad whimpers trying to escape past the tape gag; his nose flaring and core temperature soaring higher.

Just as Wordy and Greg round the corner and see in the distance, at an angle, the darkened outline of a male figure standing at the end of the walkway and they are forced to stop as a shot rings out and both are sent hiding behind Wordy's shield.

"Petar Tomasic!" Greg calls out.

"Stop right there! Come no closer!" Petar shouts back.

"Okay we're stopping. Can you tell me where my man is?"

"Ed Lane's dead!" Petar shouts in triumph, Ed trying to muster all the strength he can to make some kind of useful sounds and Wordy's fists instantly tightening around the gun and shield.

_"Boss.."_

"Sam I heard…just keep coming," Greg instructs as he and Wordy take another step closer; being rewarded with a distinct 'ping' as another shot rings off the police shield and they are forced to stop once again.

_Damn it! _Ed curses inwardly as his brain desperately searches his frame for some kind of strength…any kind of strength to try to warn his best friend and team member that was now poised for the kill shot – with him as the target. Ed feels Petar moving behind him, his arm raised at Ed's side and then watches as Petar fires another shot, forcing Wordy and Greg to halt once more; Petar's left hand rising up to his face and covering his mouth, holding his head back so Ed was unable to even let the smallest muffled sound out or really see what was going on.

"Hold your fire!" Greg shouts back, Ed's brow producing small beads of sweat that had now started to slowly trickle down the side of his face, embedding themselves in the thick fabric pooled around his neck.

But Petar doesn't listen, he merely fires back, daring, taunting the SRU to fire in return, taking out their own man.

"Damn it why won't they fire back!" Petar hisses in anger. "My father raised his gun and was killed!"

"Where's Ed Lane?" Wordy shouts, squinting into the darkened area before him, shifting his position and finally seeing what looks like a lone figure several meters away with his arms raised. "Is he surrendering?"

"I can't tell. He might be just drawing us in…guys we don't have a firm visual," Greg tells the team. "Sam where are you?"

_"One more level to go," Sam whispers as another shot resounds off Wordy's trusty shield. "Just stall."_

"Petar, what do you want?"

"I want salvation…I want…freedom. I want…my father back – alive," he ends in a whisper, Ed's throat finally able to swallow, but his lips still unable to give his team clear warning as to his dire predicament. The few glimpse he was able to get before Petar pulled his head back, gave him an idea of the distorted view that Wordy and Greg would have; the other door barricaded where Spike and Lew were almost at and about to attempt a breakthrough.

_Wordy…come on buddy…figure this out…he's gonna have you kill me at the same time he does…_Ed's mind swirls in frustration as his neck strains backwards in Petar's grasp.

"Where's Ed Lane?" Wordy asks once more, Ed able to discern the tension in his best friend's voice.

"He's dead! Don't you get that? He brought this upon himself! He deserved to die!" Petar shouts as he fires at Wordy a few more times, Wordy and Greg falling back; but Sam taking advantage of the sounds to move a bit faster, almost nearing the top of the railing.

"He murdered my father! Shoot me already!"

"Not how it works Petar," Greg calls out.

"You just shot my father...just like that!"

"Petar, I understand you are upset but…" Greg tries as Petar fires once more, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"You don't understand!"

"Then make me understand," Greg replies with a pleading tone.

"Time to say goodbye…Ed Lane," Petar sighs, his ears picking up something in the distance; Spike and Lew about to come through the other door. Petar raises his gun once more, this time pushing the release button and the clip springing free and clattering to the ground.

"I want to surrender," Petar shouts, Ed's mind going into a frenzied panic.

"Let's see some hands!" Wordy shouts as he stands up with his gun raised. "Toss the gun ahead…we have to hear it hit the floor."

"Here it comes!"

_Wordy! It's a trap…don't come closer! _Ed's mind shouts as he finally feels a bit of strength coursing through his veins.

Wordy hears the gun clatter to the floor and then takes a step forward and stops. "Okay…come to me, walk into the light where we can see you with your hands raised!"

But when he hears only silence in return, Wordy looks at Greg and frowns before turning back to the darkened walkway with his gun poised and ready.

"Petar! Come out…"

"You come to me."

"Doesn't work that way Petar." Greg reminds him.

"Come out now with your hands up!" Wordy states again.

"You know…I think I have changed my mind," Petar's voice sternly replies and Wordy quickly falls back behind his shield.

"Petar we can work this out. Just come out here and we'll talk," Greg tries.

"I told Ed Lane he'd see my father in hell," Petar growls as he loads another clip, the distinct clip sound adding a small tribute to the end of the taunt. "Your turn next!"

"Son of a bi…" Wordy curses as Petar fires at them once more.

"Come closer and you'll join them!" He shouts as he fires off another shot, Spike and Lew now setting up charges on the other door to enter. Ed moves his head backward, garnering a small grunt from Petar and forcing both Sam and Wordy to pause their actions, Wordy wondering what that was all about.

"I say we toss a gas canister in there…call him out of his hiding spot," Wordy's voice trails off. "Let's end this right now."

_"What about Ed?" Spike asks in concern._

"We hafta end this boss," Wordy looks at Ed with an anxious expression. "He's not talkin' and I doubt he's gonna do us any favors. He's drawing us in for a reason."

"What's that Sam?"

_"Guys I think he's got Ed with him," Sam whispers, his vantage point offering a different view from below than Wordy's on the same level._

"What?" Wordy asks in a hushed whisper. "We only see one figure."

_"You're at an odd angle; he's using him as a shield. Don't fire. You can't see in the dark…trust me."_

"Petar!" Greg shouts back. "Drop…"

"Goodbye Ed Lane," Petar whispers loud enough for Sam to hear; firing once more at Wordy and then pushing the gun into Ed's neck and cocking the gun, his finger easing back on the trigger.

_"Boss he's gonna kill Ed; I heard him say it. I have the solution."_

"Scorpio."

***bang***

Ed's world slows to a deathly silence, his ears picking up the lone heartbeat as he closes his eyes briefly for a few seconds, his body jerking instinctively with the shot and face feeling the splatter of warm sludge on his cheek. But before he can ponder one last thought, he hears Petar's last anguished cry before his body fall against Ed's on its way to the ground; landing in an unmoving jumble of arms and legs.

"Ed!" Wordy states as he rushes toward his best friend; Spike and Lew bursting through the door and finally bathing the entire area in light, allowing the rest of team one to see the current predicament of their team leader.

"Hold on I got you," Wordy assures Ed in a gentle tone, as he carefully peels the tape from his mouth, noticing the strained expression on Ed's face, his fingers feeling the heat on Ed's face before he pulls his knife and then gestures to Ed's wrists.

"Sam… thanks," Ed nods to Sam, a look of thankful gratitude flashing in his eyes. Sam nods back before he heads for Greg to talk about Jules.

"Can you stand?" Wordy half whisper's in Ed's ear.

"Give me…a minute," Ed replies with a heavy frown. "He gave me…a drug," Ed huffs as he finally licks his lips.

"Eddie you okay?"

"Yeah boss…I will be," Ed answers in truth as his head rests on Wordy's shoulder as Wordy works to cut the plastic bindings keeping his wrists trapped, Greg cutting his feet free. Sam was already on his way down to deal with SIU and then head to the hospital to be with Jules; Spike and Lew waiting for the ME and the local police to deal with the cleanup of Petar Tomasic.

"Okay I got you," Wordy tells Ed as Ed's arms finally are allowed to rest at his sides, Wordy's strong arms supporting Ed's slowly recuperating frame as he helps him toward a set of metal stairs and both of them slowly sit down, Wordy letting Ed regain at least strength enough to walk out on his own.

"I uh…damn Ed I nearly shot you," Wordy curses himself as he looks way

"You didn't," Ed reminds him with a small cough, bringing Wordy's gaze back to him.

"Here," Wordy hands him a cloth; Ed's fingers taking the clean cloth and gently wiping his blood stained cheek.

"He played it so well Wordy…so well," Ed lightly groans as his eyes fixed on the ME's team and watches as they carefully lift Petar's lifeless corpse onto the stretcher and then close him away in the special black transport bag. "His trap…it was too close."

"Trust me when Spike said you were gone and we heard that shot..."

"Scare tactic…he was a trained solider."

"He had your number Ed…he came prepared to kill you and nearly did."

"I know. But I knew you wouldn't let me down," Ed nods as he looks over at Wordy but says nothing and then looks back.

"Ed…"

"How's Jules?" Ed interrupts, not wanting his best friend to feel any more blame or guilt than he already does.

"In surgery but they are hopeful," Wordy replies in truth. "Am sure she'll be okay. What about you?"

"Nightmares. You?"

"Same," Wordy agrees. "Vacation came at the right time for you I see."

"Yeah but at what cost?"

"Ed, don't tell me you're reconsidering? You need this."

"No," Ed shakes his head, "I do need this time off…I'm exhausted," he confesses with a soft tormented tone as his fingers rub his tender wrists. "But um…I shoulda had this one."

Wordy looks down as Ed's fingers start to chafe the skin further and rest on his hand, stopping his actions; Ed's eyes fixed downward. "Stop…you'll make it worse," he kinda instructs and Ed leans back on the stairs and complies.

"I shoulda had this…"

"This wasn't your fault."

"Wordy…"

"Ed you said it yourself, he's a trained soldier. He came prepared to counter anything you threw at him. He wanted to win…his plan was to draw you out and make you feel the terror his father felt before he was killed. Either way he wasn't going to leave without accomplishing his objective – your death."

"Glad Sam was there."

"Yeah me too. Seriously stop rubbing those," Wordy smirks as Ed pulls his hands back and rests him on his knees. "Just say the word and we'll leave."

"I'm tired."

"You look tired," Wordy sighs as he stands up and then looks at Ed on the stairs. "You look like a man in need of a vacation. Come on lets go."

"Copy…that," Ed smirks as he extends his hand and allows Wordy to slowly pull him upright. His legs falter a bit but he gives Wordy a firm nod before he takes a few steps and realizes that although his strength wasn't back up to one hundred percent yet, he had the whole weekend ahead and would come back on Monday ready to go. The nightmares would subside in a few days but they had all learned today just how short life can be; how quickly it can all end – in a heartbeat.

**THE END!**

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><p><strong>AN:** So you know I had to up the peril a little *evil grin* lol but hope you all liked this little re-write and please do review before you go as you know they fuel Alice to catch these little bunnies for you all and write them! So thanks so much in advance and stay tuned for more!

**PS:** Eye for an Eye will update next!


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